RECIPE FOR SMOKED VENISON RECIPES

Steps:

• Slice the meat against the grain between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick. This is easier to do when the meat is chilled in the freezer for an hour or hasn’t fully defrosted. Place all the sliced meat in a large, resealable bag.
• If you have a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic cloves until you reach a rough paste. Mix the garlic with the water, soy sauce, pink curing salt (Prague powder #1), red wine vinegar, black pepper, and sugar until well blended.
• Pour the liquids into the bag with the meat and mix to coat each piece on both sides. Marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours and up to two days, tossing and mixing the bag periodically.
• Prepare a smoker according to manufacturer’s settings using your choice of wood. Pre-heat to 160 degrees.
• Remove the meat from the marinade and squeeze off excess liquid. Lay each piece of meat on a metal grid or pizza screen. If you have the time and space, let the pieces air-dry for a few hours in the refrigerator so it will absorb more smoke.
• Smoke the venison for 3 to 4 hours. It should be fully dry but still pliable. If your smoker cannot get below 180 degrees, you can opt to smoke for 1 hour to impart flavor, then switch to a traditional dehydrator set at 145 to finish. This will prevent the jerky from becoming bitter or too brittle.
• Once completely cool, store in an airtight bag for 1 to 2 months. The jerky can also be refrigerated for 3 to 6 months or frozen for a year.
• Note: Pink curing salt (also known as Prague Powder #1) is a blend of sodium chloride (table salt) and sodium nitrite. It is used to prevent the growth of botulism bacteria, impart the savory flavors of cured meat, and give it a pink color when smoked. Although it isn’t required, I recommend it if you’re storing the meat for more than a few weeks. Do not use more than a teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat.

Steps:

• Trim any silverskin off the tenderloins and transfer to a sturdy resealable plastic bag.
• Make the marinade: Combine the red wine, garlic, and soy sauce in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the chopped rosemary and the pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil; whisk until the mixture is emulsified. Pour the marinade over the meat and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.
• When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 450 degrees F (or High) and preheat, lid closed, for 15 minutes.
• Remove the tenderloins from the marinade (discard the marinade) and pat dry. Knock off any pieces of garlic or rosemary. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and less generously with coarse salt.
• Arrange the tenderloins at a diagonal to the grill grate and sear, turning with tongs as needed, until well-browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Continue to cook until the tenderloins reach your desired degree of doneness, 15 to 20 minutes total for medium-rare (135 degrees F on a meat thermometer). Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing on a diagonal. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.